Bearing in mind General Assembly resolution 47/75 of 14 December
1992 and Part II, paragraph 28, of the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action (A/CONF.157/23),

Reaffirming its resolution 1995/32 of 3 March 1995, in which
it established an open-ended inter-sessional working group with
the sole purpose of elaborating a draft declaration, considering
the draft contained in the annex to resolution 1994/45 of 26 August
1994 of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities, entitled "Draft United Nations
declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples", for consideration
and adoption by the General Assembly within the International
Decade of the World's Indigenous People,

Reaffirming in particular that the invitation contained in
that resolution was addressed to organizations of indigenous people
seeking authorization to participate in the working group,

Recognizing that organizations of indigenous people have special
knowledge and understanding of the current situation of the world's
indigenous people and their human rights needs,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 49/214 of 23 December
1994, in which the Assembly encouraged the Commission to consider
the draft declaration

with the participation of representatives of indigenous people,
on the basis of and in accordance with appropriate procedures
to be determined by the Commission,

Welcoming the progress made in the process of drafting a declaration
on the rights of indigenous people, and emphasizing the importance
and special nature of such a draft declaration as an instrument
specifically for promoting the rights of indigenous people,

Recalling the need for the working group to consider all aspects
of the draft declaration, including its scope of application,

1. Takes note of the report of the working group (E/CN.4/1997/102),
and welcomes the continuation and positive nature of the deliberations
of the working group, particularly the measures taken to ensure
effective input by organizations of indigenous people;

2. Expresses its appreciation for the work of the Economic
and Social Council in considering applications from organizations
of indigenous people to participate in the working group under
the procedures set out in the annex to Commission resolution 1995/32;

3. Welcomes the decisions of the Economic and Social Council
approving the participation of organizations of indigenous people
in the work of the working group, and urges the Council to process
all pending applications as soon as possible, taking strictly
into account the procedures set out in the annex to Commission
resolution 1995/32;

4. Recommends that the working group meet for 10 working days
prior to the fifty-fourth session of the Commission, the cost
of the meeting to be met from within existing resources;

5. Encourages organizations of indigenous people which are
not already registered to participate in the working group and
which wish to do so to apply for authorization in accordance with
the procedures set out in the annex to Commission resolution 1995/32;

6. Requests the working group to submit a progress report for
consideration by the Commission at its fifty-fourth session under
the agenda item entitled "Indigenous issues";

7. Recommends the following draft resolution to the Economic
and Social Council for adoption:

"The Economic and Social Council,

Taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 1997/31
of 11 April 1997,

1. Authorizes the open&SHY;ended inter&SHY;sessional working
group of the Commission on Human Rights established in accordance
with Commission resolution 1995/32 of 3 March 1995 to meet for
a period of 10 working days prior to the fifty&SHY;fourth session
of the Commission, the costs of the meeting to be met from within
existing resources;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to extend all necessary facilities,
from within existing United Nations resources, to the working
group for its meetings."